Punching or shearing machine.



G. A. BERTSGH, H. SGHBLHAMMER & L. H. BERTSGHL PUNUH-ING 0R SHEARING MACHINE.

APPLICATION I'IILBD JULY 2.190s.

921,068. v, PatentedMayll, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

vi W 0b. MTAPJQ Witnesses: Inventors.

7H. 51312121241: In) Attorney.

G. A. BERTSGEH. SGHELHAMMER & L. H. BERTSGH.

PUNGHING 0R SHEARING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2, 190.8.

2 SHEBTS -SHBET 2.

/ OOOOOOOO OOOOQOOdOOOOOOOOO OOOO Patented May 11, 1909..

Witnesses: Inventors.

THE NORRIS PE/TER: co., WASHINGTON, o. c.

04AM WW W i 5! 6 Q Attorney.

unrrnn STATES earns? rerun CHARLES A. BERTSGH, HERMANN scHELnAMMEa, AND LAWRENCE H. BERTSGH, or CAM- BRIDGE CITY, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS TO BERTSGH & COMPANY, or CAMBRIDGE CITY,

INDIANA.

PUNGHING OR SHEARING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1909.

To all whom-it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES A. BERTSCH, HERB'IANN SCHE HAMMER, and LAWRENCE H. Bnnrson, citizens of the United States, and residents of Cambridge City, Wayne count-y, Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Punching or Shearing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention, pertaining to improvements in punching or shearing machines will be readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of a punching or shearing machine exemplifying our improvements: and Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

In the drawings:1, indicates the side housings: 2, the table: 3, the vertically reciprocating gate: 4:, the cam shaft: 5, the

gate-actuating eccentric thereon: 6, the pitmen connecting these eccentrics with the gate: 7, the lower shear blade: and 8, the upper shear blade. All of the parts thus'far referred to are or may be of usual construction and subject to any usual appropriate modifications of form and arrangement.

Proceeding with the drawings :9, indicates a series of holddown rods mounted for vertical sliding motion inthe gate'infront of the upper shear blade and presenting their feet near the table: 10, a carrying-bar for the holddown rods, this bar extending along the tops of the rods and having sockets freely engaging the upper ends of the rods: 11, endwise movable pins disposed in the carrying-bar, one pin over each rod: 12, cams mounted on the cam-shaftfo'r actuating the holddown mechanism: 13, rocking levers disposed below the cam shaft and engaged by the holddown cams: 14, the pivot for these levers? l5, springs urging the forward ends of the levers upward to their cams 12: 16, spring links connecting the forward ends of levers '13 with the carryingbar: 17, a shoe-bar extending along under the lower ends of the holddown-rods: and 18, spring studs carried by theouter ends of the shoe-bar andsliding vertically in sockets on the housings and serving to hold the shoebar yieldingly up to its highest position.

When the pins 11 are in inward position over the holddown-rods then the rods cannot rise relative to carrying-bar 10, but when the pins are withdrawn then the rods are at liberty to slide through the carrying-bar. It will be observed that each of the pins 11 is notched where it engages the top of its holddown-rod. This notch prevents the accidental endwise displacement of the pin, but by lowering the rod out of the notch, or by turning the pin so that the notch is free from' the top of the rod, the pin may be withdrawn outwardly leaving the rod free to rise in the carrying-bar.

Thus farthe machine is to be considered only as a shearing machine with holddown and properly placed between the upper and lowerblades, the first effect of the turning of the cam-shaft is to depress carrying-bar l0 and pushthe feet of the holddown-rods down against the work holding it firmly to the table while the upper shear makes its cutting stroke. If the holddown rods are placed with suflicient closeness to each other the direct engagement of their feet with the metal will hold it down with good satisfaction but such closeness of the rods is not necessary if the shoe-bar be employed. hen the shoe-bar is employed then the shoe-bar is the member coming into direct contact with the metal and it is the duty of the rods to press the shoe-bar to place, and the shoe-bar serves in giving an ex tended bearing along the metal close to the shear. Spring studs 18, hold the shoe-bar to highest posit-ion, and when holddown cams 12 press the rods downward they do so against the resistance of the spring studs 18 which yield and permit the holddown bar to go down, these spring studs lifting the shoe-bar free of the metal when the pressure, upon the rods is removed. The holddown cams 12, in exerting their pressure on the holddown-rods, do so through the spring links 16 which yield and permit the cams to further depress lever 13 after It is desirable to be able to get at the up- Y per shear-blade from its front, and the shoebar and holddown-rods would interfere with l t The shoe bar can be re .ioved bodily l by unbolting its stud-bearings from the 1 housings. The holddown-rods are gotten i their carrying-bars.

may be removed and applied to the ma- The shoe-bar may be entirely omitted from the machine, or it i t th d of the. gag-bar, thus permitting chine only when conditions of use call for it. The holddown-rods may not only be retired upwardly to give access to the front of the upper shear-blade, but they may, if desired, be permanently secured in upper inactive position by means of the set-screws 28, the rods then making their strokes idly 3 with their lower ends far up from the table.

Satisfactory working of the shear-blades requires that one of the blades shall, have a shearing rake so that the entire length of the blade is not cutting at once. It is usual to arrange the lower shear-blade with its upper edge level, and to form the lower edge of the upper shearblade on a slope from one end to the other. this is often, especially when a powerful slue the sheet while being sheared. In the present case, as will be observed in Fig. 2, the shearing rake of the upper shear-blade is gotten by declining the edge of the blade in both directions from its center, the consequence being that a sheet of metal placed centrally of the shear may be acted on at both edges simultaneously, without any tendency to slue, the usual shearing action of the blade still being realized.

The present machine is designed, not only for shearing, but also for punching, or for punching and shearing simultaneously, and in this case the shoe-bar, if employed, is perforated for the passage of the punches so as to act as a stripper for them.

Proceeding with the drawings :19, illustrates the punching die secured to the table in front of the lower shear blade: 20, a. punch-bar secured to the front of the gate, in front of and above the upper shear-blade: 21, a longitudinal series of punches arranged to slide vertically in sockets in the punchbar and to pass down through the perforations, previously referred to, in the shoe-bar 22, a pressure-bar lying over the heads of the punches anc tending to hold them down in the punch-bar with such force as may be due to the gravity of the pressure-bar: 23, springs connecting the pressure-bar and the punch-bar 20 and serving, if needed and employed, to increase the downward pressure of the pressurebar: 24:, a gag-bar disposed under a projection on the gate and adapted to shift transversely from an inward position over the pressure-bar to an The effect of outer position not over the pressure-bar: 25,

swinging arms supported by the gate and carrying the gag-bar: 26, a handle for operating these arms and moving the gag-bar in and out: and 27, set-screws in the punchbar for maintainii'ig the punches in upward idle position.

The free ends of the swinging arms 25 are provided with slots which engage trunnions a certain amount of vertical motion of the gag-bar relative to the arms. The front upper corner of the pressure-bar 22 is beveled, as is also the rear lower corner of the gagbar. The consequence is that while the ends of the suspemling arms swing in wardly in an arc of a circle the gag-bar is at liberty to ride up over the pressure-bar, between the pressure-bar and the overhanging shoulder of the gate:

lVith the parts in the position shown in l the machine is in condition for shearing but not for punching, the gag-bar 24 being out from over the pressure-bar. If a sheet be placed in the i'i'iachine for shearing, then the downward stroke of the gate brings about the shearing action. \Vheu the lower j ends of the punches reach the metal they beholddown 1s not employed, to improperly i come arrested, and, upon the. continued descent of the gate, the punch-bar 2O slides downwardly upon the punches, the pressurehar resting upon the heads of the punches which themselves rest idly upon the metal being sheared. hen the gate rises, after the shearing, then the pressure-bar holds the punches downward until they and the pressure-ha r are picked up by the ascending gate. If the bodies of the punches lit in the punchbar too snugly to slide freely therein under the influence of the gravity of the pressurebar alone, the effect of that gravity may be enhanced to desired extent by the springs 23.

Ylhen punching is to be done, either with or without a shearing performance, then gag-bar is swung in over the )1'essure-bar whereupon the punches become solidly held in the gate and perform as punches usually do and the shoe-bar acts as a stripper for them. For thin metal the shoe-bar would be extremely useful and in some cases essential but for thick metal the holddown-rods alone may serve sulliciently as a stripper for the punches. It is sometimes desirable to arrange the line of punches pretty close to the front of the upper shear-blade, thus leaving very little room for the presence of the holddown-rods. lo the present construction the holddown-rods are disposed right up against the front face of the upper shear-blade, indeed, it will be observed. that the holddown-rods are flattened oil at their backs. where they come againstthe shear-blade, so that holddown-rods of very substantial diameter throughout their main portions of length, present their front surfaces :1 very ltll) lltl small distance from the front face of an upper shear blade, thus permitting a row of punches to be disposed very close to the face of the shear-blade. It may sometimes happen that the punching performance of the machine is not wanted for some time, in which case it may be undesirable to have the punches reciprocating idly in the punch-bar. In such case when the pressure-bar and punches are in upward position, relative to the punch-bar, they may be secured rigidly in that position by means of the set screws 27, the punches then reciprocating idly with the gate but Without reciprocating motion relative thereto.

It is of course to be understood that th devices are susceptible of many modifications of form and arrangement without departure from the spirit of our invention, the particular construction set forth being a mere exemplification. Vi e have simply set forth the principle of our invention and the best form in which we contemplate embodying it. i

We claim 1. A punching or shearing machine coinprising, a vertically reciprocating gate to carry the operating tool or tools, a horizontal series of holddown-rods arranged for vertical sliding movement in the gate, a carrying-bar adapted for sliding motion on the upper ends of the rods, and displaceable pins disposed in the carrying-bars over the ends of the rod, combined substantially as set forth. a

2. A punching or shearing machine comprising, a reciprocating gate to carry the operating tool or tools, a horizontal series of holddown-rods arranged for vertical sliding movement in the gate, a carrying-bar engaging the upper ends of the rods, a shoe-bar disposed under the lower ends of the rods in position to be pushed down thereby, and springs connected with the shoe-bar and arranged to support it and elevate-it when the rods rise, combined substantially as set forth.

3. A punching or shearing machine comprising, a'reciprocating gate, an upper shearblade secured to the front face thereof, a horizontal series of holddown-rods arranged for vertical sliding movement in the gate and having their rear sides flattened and lying against the front face of the shearblade, and a carrying-bar connected with the upper ends of the rods, combined substantially as set forth.

4. A punching or shearing machine comprising, a vertically reciprocating gate, an upper shearblade carried thereby, a punchbar secured to the front of the gate, a series of punches fitted to slide vertically in the punch-bar, a pressure-bar lying over the upper ends of the punches, and a gag-bar engaging under a projection on the gate and adapted for transverse shifting from aposition over the pressure-bar to a position not over the pressure-bar, combined substantially as set forth.

5; A punching or shearing machine comprising, a, vertically reciprocating gate, an upper shear-blade carried thereby, a punchbar secured to the front of the gate, a series of punches-fitted to slide vertically in the punch-bar, a pressure-bar lying over the upper ends of the punches, a gag-bar engaging under a projection on the gate and adapted for transverse shifting from a position over the'pressure-bar to a position not over the pressure-bar, and springs connected with the pressure-bar and serving to cooperate with the weight of the pressure-bar in depressing the pressure-bar and punches, combined substantially as set forth.

6. A punching or shearing machine comprising, a vertically reciprocating gate, an upper shear-blade carried thereby, a punchbar secured to the front of the gate, a series of punches fitted to slide vertically in the punch-bar, a pressure-bar lying over the upper ends of the punches, a gag-bar engaging under a projection on the gate and adapted for transverse shifting from a position over the pressure-bar to a position not over the pressure-bar, and devices carried by the punch-bar for clamping the punches and holding the punches and pressure-bar in elevated position relative to the punch-bar, combined substantially as set forth.

, 7. A punching or shearing machine comprising, a vertically reciprocating gate, an upper shear-blade carried thereby, a punchbar secured to the front of the gate, a series of punches fitted to slide vertically in the punch-bar, a pressure-bar lying over the upper ends of the punches, a gag-bar engaging under a projection of the gate and adapted for transverse shifting from a position over the pressure-bar to a position not over the pressure-bar, and swinging-arms supported by the gate and in turn supporting the gag-bar, combined substantially as set forth.

8. A punching or shearing machine comprising, a vertically reciprocating gate to carry the operatingtool or tools, a horizontal series of holddown-rods arranged for vertical sliding movement in the gate, a

carrying-bar adapted for sliding motion on the upper ends of the rods, displaceable pins disposed in the carryingbar over the ends of the rods, and clamping devices carried by the carrying-bar and adapted to engage the holddown-rods and support them in elevated position in the carrying-bar, combined substantially as set forth.

9. A punching or shearing machine comprising, a vertically reciprocating gate to carry the operating tool or tools, a horizontal series of holddown-rods arranged for ring movement in the gate, a carrying-bar ertical sliding movement in the gate, a carrying-bar adapted for sliding motion on the upper ends of the rods, and displaceable pins disposed in the carrying-bars over the ends of the rod, the pins being provided with notches engaging the upper ends of the rods, combined substantially as set forth.

10. A punching or shearing machine c01nprising, a reciprocating gate to carry the operating tool or tools, a horizontal series of holddoWn-rods arranged for vertical slidengaging the upper ends of the rods, and a shoe-bar engaging the lower ends of the rods, combined substantially as set forth.

11. A punching or shearing machine comprising, a vertically reciprocating gate, an upper shear-blade carried thereby, a punchbar secured to the front of the gate, a series of punches fitted to slide vertically in the punch-bar, a pressure-bar lying over the upper ends of the punches, a gagbar engaging under a projection 01 the gate and adapted for transverse shifting from a position over the pressure-bar to a position not over the pressure-bar, and swinging arms supported by the gate and having slots in their free ends engaging the ends of the bar combined substantially as set forth.

CI-IAI ZLES A. BER/TECH. HERMANN SCl'lELHAMMEh. LUVRENCE H. BERTSCH 

